PS. I'm not sure Merkel has all that much clout left... let me rephrase, Merkel is very much weakened here, and her recent attempts at "finding compromise" have already shown she's lost power, since they didn't work. For example, her attempts at helping the auto industry avoid the worst payback from the diesel scandals, and resultant coming Fahrverbot (diesel autos not allowed) in frankfurt and other major cities, shows her previous ability to force compromise has waned at best. (I won't go into the details of her attempted compromises here.)

Not to mention, her attempt to keep the government together is on very shaky footing.

I'm not too sure Merkel is in any different situation to most governments in Europe. There is a crisis in government legitimacy which means that far right/nationalist movements are gaining ground, governments are losing majorities, and increasingly shaky minority governments based on unstable coalitions are barely hanging on.

Varadkers' Party, Fine Gael only have 49 seats out of a parliament of 158 seats and are dependent on Fianna Fail abstaining on confidence votes and a number of independents of varying hues and allegiances. Talks are ongoing as to whether this arrangement can continue. Traditional coalition partners like Labour and the Greens have been decimated.

Theresa May's problems have been well documented, but how many other Governments in Europe are barely hanging on? The most remarkable political achievement of recent times has been the unanimity of the EU27 in the Brexit negotiations. It seems to be about the only thing they can agree on.

Fahrverbot (diesel autos not allowed) in frankfurt and other major cities

Municipalism, my friend. Your friend. Everybody's friend. The return of democracy, and of constructive disobedience. There is an epoch-making shift going on, and it's a Good Thing (except when it's the hard right doing it of course)

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II